


keep your eyes on me

by orphan_account



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Anxiety, Happy Ending, Hospitals, Illnesses, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-01
Updated: 2016-03-01
Packaged: 2018-05-24 05:00:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6142270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>He's always been a little soft for their ace, a little more willing to make a fool out of himself to keep the owl’s spirits up high and brilliant where it belongs. But he takes these low points too whenever he’s there to have them, when Bokuto's leg starts jittering with pent up distress and he sounds like he’s just coming down from a sprint.</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	keep your eyes on me

 

 

 

“Eyes on me Bo, can you do that?”

“Yeah,” Bokuto answers, small and hunched. Konoha can't get much lower without bowing his back to an uncomfortable angle; he's already crouched down on his knees before Bokuto to better see his face, the floor too hard beneath his joints, Bokuto's plastic chair creaking with nearly every antsy twitch that he makes. The wait seems to take forever. The corridor feels a little endless and empty save for the thinly humming vending machine pushed up against the wall near the seats. The nurse’s station is a short walk away, people in scrubs hovering and darting about the many rooms. They've dimmed the lights so that the fluorescence don’t burn quite so blindingly. it invites some sense of the nighttime the that lays outside, the sun fallen below the horizon hours ago. 

“Keep your eyes on me. That's right. Close 'em if you want to, but I’ll be here when you open them.”

“Yeah.”

“Okay?”

“Mm,” the next affirmation is just a hum caught in Bokuto's throat. Konoha has both hands draped over Bokuto’s upturned wrists, so he can feel it beneath his thumbs the moment when Bokuto’s pulse starts fluttering like a jackrabbit’s, his breath dipping too quick and shallow. He gets a little frenetic too, jerking when the footfall of a passing nurse merely keeps on walking by, his head hung low like he knows he’s breaking down in public and himself hates it. Konoha wishes they weren’t stuck in the middle so he could try to do _more._ But they are, no helping it, and Konoha is beyond thinking something petty like 'how inconvenient'. He’s always been a little soft for their ace, a little more willing to make a fool of himself to keep the owl's spirits up high and brilliant where it belongs. But he takes these low points too whenever he’s there to have them, when Bokuto’s leg starts jittering with pent up distress and he sounds like he’s just coming down from a sprint.

Suddenly, bokuto groans and twists one of his hands away, gesturing with frustration. “It’s taking _forever._ Why’s it taking so long?”

“I know, it sucks, but we just have to wait it out. Come on, give that back – I wanna hold your hand too, you know.”

“No one’s come by to say anything either,” Bokuto says, limply re-settling his hand over Konoha’s, who laces their fingers together with a quickened heart and a guilty glance to the side. It really was empty. No one around to see two boys holding hands, Konoha still kneeling on the floor. “What if no one tells us what’s going on, or they forgot that we’re even waiting here, _ugh._ Konoha. I just want to… I feel so awful.”

“Good thing we're already at a hospital then, huh?” Konoha tries. The humor swiftly falls flat. Bokuto’s nostrils flare and his chest rises and falls around a rushed breath, but then he wets his lips and nods like he’s making himself accept the joke. Great. _Foot meet mouth._ “Delete that. Akaashi's going to be fine.”

It isn’t the most convincing platitude, he knows, but he keeps up a steady stream of encouragement after that. Small, mindless things like “easy” and “you’re doing great” and “stay with me, yeah?” until Bokuto reclaims a smidgen calm and they both fall silent, giving up to the long wait. Their surroundings stay just as quiet.

Konoha doesn’t bother keeping track of time, but it feels like a great lump of dragging minutes have passed before a voice calls out for them.

“Boys?” It says. Konoha swiftly slides his hands off Bokuto’s knees and moves to stand, grimacing at his stiff joints. Standing before them is Akaashi’s mom, still in her work clothes, and a smiling nurse.

“How is he?” Bokuto rushes, already standing and looking between the two women. “Is he okay?”

The nurse’s smile turns more genuine. For a second Konoha feels weak with relief. “He’s great. You can go see him now if you want to, but he will be a little tired. Just a quick hello since he needs his rest - no running!” But bokuto’s already skidding away.

“Sorry about him,” Konoha apologizes, although his expression is marred by an amused grin. That line belongs to someone else.

The nurse shrugs like she’s seen it all before. Akaashi’s mom simply tilts her head in the direction Bokuto raced off in. “Go ahead. We won’t bother you.”

Konoha gives a little bow and turns to catch up just in time for the reunion.

“Akaashi!!”

“Bokuto-san.”

“Konoha!” Konoha says upon crossing the threshold, watching Bokuto sweep in and wiggle his way into a spot on the bed. Akaashi looks half harassed and half relieved when Bokuto squeezes him in a tight embrace, his lips parting around an ‘oof’. In the next moment Akaashi’s arm wraps around Bokuto, patting him consolingly on the back, and then Akaashi’s fingers curl and grip tight at Bokuto’s shirt. They cradle into each other, voices hushed and meant only them. Konoha can’t hear what’s being said but the sight alone is so damn heartwarming that he wants to commit it to memory anyways. It takes a long time but the two eventually break away, Bokuto with a raucous laugh and shining eyes.

Akaashi’s expression is open and fond when he looks at Konoha. “Thanks for taking care of him.”

“Thanks for not keeling over.”

Akaashi rolls his eyes and extends a hand, palm up, over the woolly blanket pooled in his lap, his fingers unfurled in a beckon. Konoha moves towards the invitation, crooks one leg up onto the bed, and hugs him too. it’s an embrace that he closes his eyes for, a mix of relief, happiness, and gratitude making him want to do nothing more than stay until someone comes to kick him out, all of the composure and macabre humor he’s been clinging onto finally loosening and falling away. konoha bows his head closer to Akaashi’s shoulder, who moves to slide his fingers into Konoha’s hair. He feels a suspect tickle itch the back of his throat but, through sheer will, manages not to make a scene about it.

Still, he can’t help one last jab. “So are you high as a butterfly or high as a kite right now?”

“A bird, maybe,” comes the mumbled response. He feels more than hears Akaashi’s laughter rumble against the palm he has between Akaashi’s shoulders. After that, Konoha can’t stop smiling either.

They too pull away after a generous moment. Akaashi sinks into the pillow propped behind his back, his energy suddenly gone with the sigh that leaves his mouth.

“Akaashi?”

“I’m just tired, Bokuto-san. Don’t worry. It was just a flare up, but it’s been a long night.”

“Well, I think that’s our cue to go,” Konoha says, aware of everyone’s reluctance at the statement even if Bokuto hadn’t groaned out loud at it. “The nurse said you’d need some rest too, and your mom probably wants to see you again.”

Akaashi nods slowly, looking between the two of them. “Take care,” he wishes.

“You too. Take it easy.”

“Bye, Akaashi, get well soon as fast as you can!!”

“I’ll try my best.”

Bokuto gives two more boisterous goodbyes before they make it out the door together. There’s a lightness to his steps now that hadn’t been there before as they wind through the halls and out the swishing front doors, pausing only to let Konoha pick a drink out of a vending machine in the lobby. Outside, the air is completely dark save for the streetlamps. The lot much emptier than it had been when they first arrived. It’s misting out.

They take shelter beneath the overhanging, coming to an unspoken agreement that putting up with some chilly weather is better than lingering in the hospital for a minute longer, even with the cold drops of water that occasionally falls from above. Konoha checks his phone’s battery life and double checks the transit routes online, answers a slew of messages in the group chat as thoroughly as possible while they talk and pass the time with much more ease, the conversation staying light. He’s glad to see Bokuto back to his usual self. Maybe even buoyed a little higher now.

Eventually, a car pulls into the lot and swings towards the entrance with a honk of the horn.

“That’s me!” Bokuto straightens up. “I’ll see you at school tomorrow, Konoha!”

“Sure thing,” Konoha smiles as Bokuto bounds away, only to pause when Bokuto whirls around and rushes back, a chagrined dusting of pink on his cheeks. “I forgot to ask how you’re getting home. Did you need a lift? Do you want to sleep over? Um, I’ll have to ask my dad about it first since it’s so short notice, but… I’ll go ask him right now!”

“Hold up, that’s okay.” Bokuto’s eyebrows tick upwards, body half-turned away. “Really, Bo, I want the walk after all of that. And the trains are still running. It’ll be nice.”

“Are you sure you don’t wanna get dropped off at the station?” Konoha nods, getting an earnest golden gaze from Bokuto that would have been more effective if Konoha didn’t really need some time to unwind alone. Bokuto relents at their impasse (and a second honk from Bokuto’s waiting dad.)

“Just, I’m sorry for earlier too, you know. When we were waiting and I couldn’t-” The rest turns into a yelp when Konoha taps his cold drink against Bokuto’s cheek, who wrenches away and rubs the condensation off with a faux pout. “Don’t give me that look. There’s nothing to apologize for that, you big owl. Nothing’s a burden when it’s for someone I love.”

Bokuto’s mouth slackens into an ‘o’ before a grin fiercely returns to his face. He says, proudly, “Are you blushing?”

“Aren’t _you?”_ retorts Konoha with heat.

Bokuto raises both hands in the universal sign for surrender, laughs, and hops a step backwards, bright and boyish. _“Fine_ , grumpy. I have to go… be careful on the way home! i’ll text you!” He bids, lifting his arm in an enthusiastic farewell. Konoha waves him off as Bokuto splashing carelessly into a puddle pooled by the curb. He groans, shakes out his soaked foot, then steps around the rear of the car with one final wave goodbye. A door slams and the car pulls away, Konoha watching the taillights fade into the distance along with the sound of the engine.

Left with silence, Konoha neatly hops _over_ the puddle instead of in it and sets off down the sidewalk hugging the building’s perimeter, smiling when his cell phone buzzes in his pocket a moment later.

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> i love this ot3. join me


End file.
